Lock mechanism



June 10, 1941. R, F. .JOYCE LOCK MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1938 s sheets-sheet 1 w. m W

- luy/Engg? fda/ L 7? June 1o, 1941. R F JOYCE 2,244,951

LOCK MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 10, R F JOYCE LOCK MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ingamy Patented June 1Q, 1941 dem@ ilbilTEl STA 6 Claims.

My invention relates to lock mechanisms for doors and other closures and more especially to lock mechanisms for the doors of automobiles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eiiicient lock mechanism for automobile doors. It is also an object of this invention to provide a key-operated lock mechanism of simple and efcient construction which is particularly adapted for use in connection with the doors of automobiles and in the best form of my invention the mechanism is not only operable by means of a key from the exterior of the vehicle but it is also operable to unlock the door through the medium of a device on the dash or instrument panel that is accessible to a person within the car.

To these ends I have provided a lock mechanism having the features of construction and operation set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined inthe claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings* Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, of the forward end portion of an automobile equipped with my new door lock mechanism.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 4.

Figure 3 is a partial elevation of the inner side of the door shown at I in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of the roar edge of the door shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with the rotary bolt, hereinafter referred to, in its open position.

Figure 5 is a rear edge view of a portion of the door partly in section on line 5--5' of Fig. 3, but showing the rotary bolt in its closed door-locking position,

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic development of the slot provided in the rotary bolt as hereinafter described.

Figure 7 is a section on line 'i-l of Fig. 3 but also including a portion of the frame of the automobile and parts of the mechanism mounted thereon.

Figure 8 is a detail of one of the coupling members hereinafter referred to.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Figure 10 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of the post Il forming part oi the frame oi the automobile shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 11 is an elevation, viewed toward the rear of the car, of that lportion of the post ll which is shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a section on line !2. l2 of Fig. i9 but also including a portion of the door lll.

Secured in position upon the rear edge of the door lil by means of screws l2 is a metal xture i3, Figs. 2, 3, Ll, 5, and l2 that is formed with a parti-cylindrical pocket It, Fig. 5, within which is arranged a rotatable parti-cylindrical bolt l member i5 constructed with a spindle or stem I6,

Figs. 2 and 3, which extends inwardly through an aperture provided through the inner wall of the bracket fixture i3, through the Vertical side bar Il forming part of the frame of the door Ill, and through a second bracket fixture i8 fastenedv by screws to the inner side of bar Il. Fixed in position upon the inner end of s-pindle It is a radial apertured arm i9 carrying a stud 2@ occupying a position immediately above an arm 22 forming part of a slide-bar 26 and through which siideebar 26 acts at times to swing arm |9- upwardly thereby to rock spindle land bolt member l5.

A spring 25 having one end thereof connected with the stud 2t and its opposite end connected with slide-bar 2G yieldingly holds the arm I9 at the limit of its downward movement with the rotary bolt l Si occupying its doorelockingr position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

A second spring 2l, Fig'. 3, of greater eifcctive strength than spring 25 serves, as will be hereinafter described, to yieldingly hold the slidebar 26 at the limit of its downward movement with spring 25 under tension. The lower end of slide-bar 25 is made with a longitudinal slot 23 that is occupied by a stop stud 2Q projecting from a bracket 3d which is a rigid part of the frame of the door and the engagement of the upper end of this slot with the stud 29 limits the downward movement of slideebar 2t under the iniiuence oi spring 2i.

As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 the, rotary bolt member i5 is cup-shaped and at one side thereof is made with a gateway El through which a stud 32 on post il, Figs. 10 and 1l, is free to pass into said cup-shaped rotary bolt member when the latter occupies its open position shown in Fig. 4 and the door is swung from an open position to its closed position shown in Fig. 12.

The stud 32, Figs. 10, lland 12, is cylindrical and is a rigid part of a bracket fixture 3B fastened by screws to the front or forward side of the post i! which latter is part of the frame of the body oi the automobile, said stud 32 being positioned on the post i l so that when. the door Ill is. swung into its closed position the stud will pass through the gateway 3i intothe interior of the cupshaped rotary bolt member i5 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 and as shown in Fig. 5.

The parti-cylindrical side wall of the rotary bolt member I5 is made with a circumferential key hole slot 34 and a diagrammatic development of this slot is shown in Fig. 6.

When the bolt member I5 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 4 to unlock the door and the latter is swung outwardly a spring-pressed tumbler 35 is projected into the enlarged end 35, Fig. 6, of the slot 34 thereby automatically locking the bolt member in its open position shown in Fig. 4 and said bolt member remains thus locked in its open position by the tumbler until the door I9 is again closed.

Vhen the door I3 is next moved into its closed position the stud 32 re-enters the bolt member and a laterally projecting extension or pin 3l on said stud 32 passes into the enlarged end 36 of slot 34 and retracts the tumbler 35 whereupon the spring 25, Fig. 3, rotatively adjusts bolt member I5 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, from the position shown in said Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. This rotary adjustment ofA the bolt member while the slot 34 is occupied by pin 31 is made possible by the fact that the latter is less in diameter than the width of the narrow portion of the slot 34. On the other hand the tumbler 35 is of a diameter to t only the enlarged end portion 36 of slot 34 so that when it is in position within said enlarged end it serves to lock the bolt member against turning in either direction. The exposed outer side of bracket xture I3 which is mounted on door Ill is made with a wedgeshaped boss 38, Figs. 4 and 5, which is adapted to mesh with and occupy a wedge-shaped socket 39, Figs. and l1, provided upon the outer face of the bracket fixture 33 that is mounted on *the post II of the body frame when the door is closed and, as will be clear, said boss moves into and out of said socket as the door Il) is closed and opened.

The bracket xture 33 on post II is formed with two chambers 40, Fig. 11, one above and the other below the socket 39 and in each of these chambers is slidably mounted a plunger 4I which is yieldingly urged outwardly by a coiled spring 42. When the door I6 is swung outwardly into an open position these plungers 4l are held in projected positions by their springs 42 as shown. in Fig. 11, but when the door I3 is closed abutment surfaces 43 on the bracket fixture I3 of door IIJ, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, engage the outer ends of the plungers 4I and force the latter inwardly compressing springs 42. It will therefore be clear that when bolt member l5 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 to unlock the door the spring-pressed plungers 4I will partly open door I9. That is, these spring-pressed plungers start the opening movement of the door.

- Mounted uponthe door I3 above 'the abovedescribed lock mechanism is a supplemental keyoperated lock mechanism 44, Figs. 1 and 4, which is of ordinary construction with the exception that its barrel 45 is made with a spindle extension 46 rotatably supported near its inner end by a bearing plate 4l fastened by screws 'to the vertical rail I'I of the door frame.

Fixed in position upon the inner end of spindle 46 is an. arm 48, Figs. 3 and 4, which is connected by a link 49 with the upper longer arm of a bell crank 23, said arm 48 and link 43 constituting the two members of a toggle through which the force of spring 21 is normally imposed upon the longer arm of the bell crank with much greater effect than the upward pull of said spring upon the shorter arm of the bell crank yto which the lower end of the spring is connected. As a result, the spring 2l yieldingly urges slide-bar 26 downwardly with more force than the upward pull of spring 25 even when the tension of fthe latter is increased through opening movement of bolt I5.

The door I9 may be unlocked by a person outside of the vehicle by inserting a special key 50 into the barrel 45 of the supplemental lock mechanism 44 and then turning the same and spindle 46 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, to the extent of about 9() degrees. This swings the bell crank lever 23 upwardly and the latter acts through slide-bar 23, arm 22 and arm I9 to turn the bolt member I5 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to |the position shown in Fig. 4 whereupon the spring-pressed plungers 4I, Fig. 11, shift the door I9 into an open position.

When bolt member I5 is thus adjusted to unlock the door the tumbler 35, Fig. 5, is projected by its spring into the enlarged end of slot 34 and thereby locks the bolt member in its open position.

To close and lo-ck the door it is only necessary to apply nger pressure to the outer side thereof suicient to cause the pin 31 on stud 32, Fig. 11, to eject the tumbler 35 from slot 34 whereupon spring 25, Fig. 3, snaps the ibol't member into its closed position shown in Fig. 5.

From the description so far given it will be observed that a lock-operating handle permanently disposed upon the outside of the door may be dispensed with and that it is not necessary to slam the door in order to close and lock 'the same. It is true, however, that a permanent handle connected with spindle 46, Fig. 4, may be substituted for the removable key 53 although I prefer the latter.

It will be observed that the arm 49 and link 49, Fig.` 3, constitute a toggle through which the spring 21 acts to yieldingly hold bell crank 23 in its lowermost position with the upper end of slot 28 against the stud 29 and with spring 25 under tension.

Herein I have shown mechanism through which the above described main door locking devices may be operated by a perso-n within the vehicle and as herein illustrated this mechanism is accessible for operation [by 'the driver of the vehicle.

The mechanism just referred to comprises a horizontal rock shaft 5I, Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9, journaled in brackets 55 fixed to the inner faces of the upright side bars I'I and I'Ia of the door. This shaft carries an arm 52 to which pivotally connected the lower end of push-bar 53. The upper end of this push-bar is formed with a longitudinal slot. 54, Fig. 9, which is occupied by one end of stud 29. Normally the stud 2U occupies a position at the lower end of slot 54 so that arm I9 and bolt member I5 can beoperated by bell crank 23 and slide-bar 25 independently of the push-bar 53.

At one end thereof rock shaft 5I has fixed on it a head 56 whose outer face is made, as shown in Fig. 8, with a pair of lugs 51 to cooperate with the two lugs of a similarly constructed head 53, Fig. '7, fast on a rock shaft 59, journaled in bearings provided on the frame of the fbody of the vehicle so that when the door I0 is closed the two shafts 5I and 59 are in axial alinement and coupled together. The lugs of the heads 56 and 58 are of segmental shape and measure forty-'five degrees -in width and, therefore, when the two sets of lugs are in mesh it is possible for one head to -move relatively to the vother 'Ihead A'in one fdirec'tion -to the Lextent of ninety degrees fas will be -clear from lFig. -8.

An arm-150 4on rock shaft 59 is normally `:held against a vstop pin ytil by a coiled spring T62, the lugs 'of head "58 occupying positions behind the lug 5'! of head v555. vIt will therefore Lbe-clea'r that if Vone quarter -of a revolution be limparted to rocks'haft :59 in the directionof the arrow, Fig. 7, fthe lugs of its head 58 Will act through the lugs of A-the -hea'd 55 'to impart-one quarter-of a revolution Yto ithe shaft 5l. `This movement of shaft 5I acts through arm 52, push-bar 53, arm li) and spindle l5 to open the bolt member I5 thereby lunlocking the door and permitting the springpressed plungers 4|, Fig. 11, to partially open the door. When the bolt member is thus operated the slide-'bar 25 remains at rest.

As shown in Fig. 1 the door I5 is connected with the front post 63 of the body frame by means of hinges whereof one is shown at 64. It will therefore be clear that when the door l is swung outwardly into its fully open position the head 56, Fig. 7, of rock shaft I is carried out of mesh with the head 58 of shaft 59. It will also be clear that when the doo-r is closed the two heads 55 and `58 will again intermesh with their lug-s alternating in the same manner `as before whatever position shaft 59 may occupy between the limits determined by the stop pins 5l and 12.

The shaft 59 is provided at its forward end with a pulley B5, Fig. 1, to which is fastened one end of a cable $5. This cable extends around pulley E5 and thence around pulleys 61 and 68 to and through an aperture 619 provided through the dash or instrument board of the vehicle. A handle H is provided at the inner extremity of cable BS and this handle is accessible to the driver `of the vehicle from his position on the drivers seat 75. It will be clear that handle 1l| and cable S5 provide means through which the driver can manually rotate shaft 59 to the extent of one-quarter of a revolution when he desires to unlock and open the door l0. The movement thus imparted to shaft 59 by the driver is limited to one-quarter of a revolution through the engagement of the arm 6i) with the second stop pin 1'2, Fig, 7.

The lost motion provided for between the intermeshing lugs of heads 55 and 58 permits the head 58 to be returned to its normal position by spring E2 independently of head 5B after the latter has been angularly adjusted by the former one-cuarter of a revolution to unlock the door. In this way the heads 5S and 53 soplar-ably couple the `two shafts 5! and '59, one member of this coupling being carried by the swinging door and the other member being supported by the frame of the body of the vehicle.

The boss 38 on the door. Fig. 4, is made wedgeshaoed and is driven into the wedge-shaped pocket 39, Fig. ll, on body post Il so as to snugly ft the same thereby properly lining up the pin 3'! of stud 32 with the bolt member l5. Also the wedge-shaped bvo-ss 38 of the door is made upon its inner side with a passage or gateway 1-3, Fig. 4, through which the stud 32 can move into and out of the bolt member l5.

It is a distinguishing characteristic of the illustrated embodiment of my invention that the axes of stud 32, Fig. 11, and the rotary bolt member I5,

Fig. 4, are parallel and alined -when the door IB 'occupies its closed positionfand that when said door it is-swung on its hinges '54 the axis of bolt member it is `moved sidewise relatively lto the axis of stud 32.

What I claim is:

l. Lock mechanism for a door hingedly mounted 'upon the frame of a vehicle, said lock mechanism including a bolt member rotatably mounted on said door, and a st1 Ad on said frame with which said bolt 'member interlocks to secure the door in its closed position when said bo-lt member is rotatively adjusted in one direc-tion; a horizontal shaft journaled on said `door and provid-ed at its one end with a coupling member, means connecting said shaft with said rotatable bolt member through which said shaft when vrotated acts to rotatively `adjust said bolt member in the opposite direction to unlock said door, and means mounted on said frame and accessible for operation by a person within the Vehicle for operating said shaft, said means including a second shaft journaled on said frame provided at its lone end with a coupling member to separably interlock with the coupling member on said first mentioned shaft when said door occupies its closed position.

2. Lock mechanism for a door hingedly mounted upon the frame of a vehicle, said lock mechanism including a bolt member rotatably mounted on said door and a stud on said frame with which said bolt member is interlocked to secure the door in its closed position when said bolt member is rotatively adjusted in one direction; a spring for rotating the bolt member in that direction; mechanism carried by said door that is manually operable to rotate said bolt member in the opposite direction thereby to unlock said door, and a spring-pressed tumbler on said door by Awhich said b-olt member is automatically secured in its unlocked position, said tumbler being shifted by said stud to release said bolt member when said door is ciosed thereby to permit said spring to rotative'iy adjust said bolt member to lock the door in its closed position.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein there is also provided spring means for opening said door automatically 'thereby to permit said tumbler to engage and hold said bolt in its unlocked position when said bolt is moved in said opposite direction to free said door.

i. Lock mechanism for a door hingedly mounted upon the frame of a vehicle, said lock mechanism including a cup-shaped exteriorly cylindrical bolt member made at one side thereof with a passageway, said member being rotatably mounted on said door, yand a stud on said frame adapted to enter and leave said member through said passageway when said member and stud are moved relatively sidewise; a spring for rotating the bolt member in one direction while it is occupied by said stud thereby to confine the stud within said bolt member and lock the door in its closed position; mechanism mounted on said door and manually operable to rotate said bolt member in the opposite direction thereby to release the stud unlock said door, and a springpressed tumbler on said door by which said bolt member is automatically secured in its unlocked position, said tumbler being shifted by said stud to bolt-releasing position when said door is closed thereby to permit said spring to rot'atively adjust said bolt member to lock the door in its closed position.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein `said bolt member is made with a cylindrical wall formed with a keyhole slot; wherein said tumbler is a spring-pressed plunger adapted to fit into the enlarged end of said keyhole slot, and wherein said stud is made with a laterally projecting pin adapted to push said plunger out of said slot when the door is closed, said pin bein-g made smaller than said plunger so as to traverse the relatively narrow portion of said slot When said bolt member is rotated by said spring to lock the door,

6. L-ock mechanism for a door hin'gedly mounted upon the frame of va Vehicle, said lock mechanism including a bolt member rotatably mounted -on said door and' a stu-d on vsaid frame with Whichsaid bolt member is interlocked to secure the door in its closed position when said bolt member is rotatively adjusted in one direction; a spring for rotating the bolt member in that direction; a supplemental lock mechanism mounted on said door including a rotatable key-operated barrel; mechanism connecting said bolt member and barrel through which rotation of the latter acts `t'o rotate said bolt member 'in the opposite direction, thereby to unlock said door, and `a tumbler by which said bolt mem-ber is automatically secured in its unlocked position, said tumbler being shifted by said stud to bolt-releasing position when said door is closed thereby to permit said spring to rotatively adjust said bolt member to lock the door in its closed position,

RICHARD F. JOYCE. 

